Italian American One Voice Coalition
Founded 1993
Chairman email: Dr. Emanuele Alfano
New Jersey Monthly Magazine published the followingJune 2000 . . . |
| BUZZ BIN What was Richie reading moments before Janice terminated their wedding plans (not to mention Richie) on HBO's The Sopranos? None other than New Jersey Monthly's sister zine New Jersey Bride. (Hey, in this business you take all the free publicity you can get.) ... ... Speaking of The Sopranos, the series has come under fire from the Italian-American One Voice Committee, which is trying to end negative portrayals of Italian-Americans. BUZZ BIN believes a survey is in order here, and invites readers to submit their thoughts on TV's hottest show. Write to 55 Park Place, Morristown, NJ 07963-0920 or editor@njmonthly.com New Jersey Monthly will publish as many letters as possible. |
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One Voice Comment: It seems that the media's love affair with HBO's "The Sopranos" continues even though we are likely to be spared any new episodes until 2001. All too many people, particularly in New Jersey, consider it a feather in their cap to have their hometown or business featured in an episode of the fictional TV show. They take the 30 pieces of silver offered by Sopranos' producer David Chase and the money-lenders at HBO, and consider the showing of their home or business practically free nation-wide publicity. "Take the theme of 'The Sopranos'," One Voice Chairman Manny Alfano asked, "Can you imagine writing a script using Jewish mob characters? After all, there have been Jewish mobsters, and in significant numbers. " "The higher standard of "correctness" applies not only to a number of other segments of American society, but to every other segment of American society," Alfano said. "Why is this so? Why did staff members at ABC-TV demand that Mark Fuhrman, of OJ Simpson fame, lose his consulting position for using the 'n' word a few years ago while at the same time they broadcast NYPD Blue with every anti-Italian epithet in the book." "The answer lies not so much with THEM, as it does with US," Alfano said. "Intolerable behavior toward Italian-Americans is tolerated by Americans because it is tolerated by Italian-Americans."
If you are sick and tired of the way Italian-Americans are negatively portrayed in the media, here is your chance to speak out ... with One Voice.
In April, One Voice Chairman Manny Alfano was quoted in the Star-Ledger. TV columnist Matt Zoller Seitz wrote Dr. Alfano – "an anti-defamation activist who has frequently criticized the show in this space – thought the finale, with its mysticism and flatulence, proved the overall vulgarity and worthlessness of the program.
"Too bad the entire Sopranos gang didn't mug Tony's sister. She could have shot them all and put us all out of our misery. But, like I stated some time ago, if "The Sopranos' would pass gass, some TV critics would think it was lilac in spring time. Sorry the final show had no lilac. But, it had plenty of gas."
If you are tired of the tidal wave of 'ugly Italian' stereotyping in the movies, on TV and even in commercials ... speak out with One Voice.
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New Jersey Monthly Magazine published the followingAugust 2000 . . .EDITOR'S NOTE: Responding to criticism by the Italian-American community of HBO's The Sopranos, in June BUZZ Bin asked readers to send in their thoughts. All but two of the seventeen letters received condemned the show. <<The magazine published 3 letters on the subject>>
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The Italian American One Voice Coalition is a national network of activists enabling the 25 million members of the Italian American community to act as one united voice when dealing with defamation, discrimination and negative stereotyping of our grand culture and heritage. |
